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The Role of Ups and Downs in Life

• Categories: Meaning of Life

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Words: 834 |

Published: Mar 1, 2019

Words: 834 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

• Sinek, S. (2014). Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Penguin.
• Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. Vintage.
• Duckworth, A. L. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.
• Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper Perennial Modern Classics.
• Dweck, C. S. (2007). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Ballantine Books.
• Manson, M. (2016). The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life. HarperOne.
• Covey, S. R. (2013). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. Simon & Schuster.
• Pressfield, S. (2012). The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. Black Irish Entertainment LLC.
• Tolle, E. (1999). The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. New World Library.
• Gilbert, E. (2007). Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia. Riverhead Books.

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26 Life Quotes To Help You Through The Ups And Downs

Many people who cared about the wellness and mindfulness of themselves contemplated coping with ups and downs in life. Beyond being just an inspiration, parts of their contemplations circulate as quotes about life’s ups and downs and provide courage to all that may need some extra boost to understand themselves.

Everything in life changes and there are plenty of studies on how such affect our psychology at all levels.

We list 26 of these quotes about life and its turbulence, and we offer our comments on each of them. Read them for inspiration, and feel free to add yours as well. Contemplate or even lie down and meditate on them too. Even 10 minutes of daily meditation on life matters, help.

There are ups and downs, but whatever happens, you have to trust and believe in yourself. Luka Modric

Nothing is static in life. Everything changes whether you say it or not. Build up trust in yourself by understanding your capabilities and your current limitations. Knowing brings strength.

Let it rain on some days, Let yourself shiver on some cold nights, So when it’s Spring you’ll know why it was all worth going through. Sanhita Baruah

You don’t control things and nature. Having that in mind, allow yourself to experience the “down” part. Then you will appreciate better what seems like an opposite, but it was instead the path towards inner and outer Spring as seeds need the rain to bloom.

Life isn’t about the number of ups and downs that you experience, but how you deal with them. Frank Sonnenberg

Things change in life every single second. Accepting that helps you better understand your reactions and how to workaround circumstances.

You’re going to have some ups and downs, so you have to prepare yourself to be ready. Pablo Sandoval

Living through any process that shows you things constantly change builds up the capability to be prepared for things that will come.

Surround yourself with good people who encourage and love you. There are always ups and downs, no matter how successful you are. Liana Liberato

A fellowship, partners, and friends who -either fully or partially- understand life’s up and downs are necessary for your journey to understanding. Ups and downs can mean different things for any one of us; let others with that understanding be around you.

You will have ups and downs – but believe anything is possible. With hard work, it can come off. Geraint Thomas

Our mind is many times the main obstacle. Explore what builds up believing in what we can achieve and do and work towards that direction. You may not do everything, but you can do anything you put in your mind at.

Life’s up and down from the time you get here to the time you leave. Luke Bryan

The exact path from birth to death proves that nothing is static and that things constantly change every time, inside and outside.

Thank you for life, and all the little ups and downs that make it worth living. Travis Barker

Imagine nothing happened or the existence of only one color or taste. The diversity in all things in life makes it interesting to explore. If you think about it, you have no time to get bored.

Life is full of ups and downs, the only way to make the journey worthwhile is if you enjoy the good and learn from the bad. Natasha Potter

We can learn from every single detail that happens every single moment. Sometimes things are revealed as we gain experience and become more aware of things. See all things labeled as “good” or “bad.” What are they?

Success is a purposeful journey with ups and downs. It is not only about an accumulation of money. Debasish Mridha

Looking back to the trail of your achievements, you can be aware that things were not always paved with rosebuds. Sometimes, rosebuds also didn’t work for your good. You learn from all the things you liked and didn’t like along your journey. Money is never the goal for anyone, but what they represent at the end and during the process.

For all of life is like that Race. With ups and downs and all, and all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall. Dee Groberg

You put in the clever effort and proper training to run a race. Part of your training is learning to lose and learning how to win. One leads to another, and you don’t constantly win or lose. When you win, you set another goal, and you lose; you do the same either way.

One of the most important keys to success is having the discipline to do what you know you should do, even when you don’t feel like doing it. Todd Smith

There is no actual “pause” without real consequences. Stopping doesn’t just keep you stagnant. It moves you backward even without noticing it. Move, even with little steps.

Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish them. -unknown

Understand all the feelings and what they contribute. Understanding them gives you the most profound information that reveals reality itself.

The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King lived in turbulent times and understood that challenges reveal more about us and life than “tranquil” times.

You were born an original. Don’t die a copy. ( From the book ) John Mason

Understanding and revealing who you are and what you can be and do is the scope. There is no point in living other people’s lives.

We must overcome the notion that we must be regular, it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre. Uta Hagen

Adopting any “prepackaged” rules of behavior, you are not you. All of us should find out who they are and what they want.

If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can make something out of you. Muhammad Ali

Everything is possible in life when we find our way and understand it. Get educated to understand the world better and have your own opinion instead of others.

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing the cards you hold well. Josh Billings

We do not command the circumstances most of the time, even if we want to “play” safe and feel secure. Even then, things usually come; otherwise, life becomes too dull. Understand that such happens and learn to “play” in life with what you currently have available.

Hatred paralyzes life, love releases it. Hatred confuses life, love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life, love illuminates it. Martin Luther King Jr.

That is a profound truth, and those who have experience of both can understand the destructive process of hating and how it absorbs your energy, while genuine love gives you “wings.”

If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now. Marcus Aurelius

External things will happen and cannot be ignored. However, our perception of the permanence of these things and the importance we give to them is what lets them be or makes them torture. Things don’t vanish, but they can be understood along with their impact on us and how they connect with all things in life. That understanding can ease many adverse effects we do not control have on us.

Everybody has their ups and downs, and that’s what makes you tougher. Isaac Hanson

Tougher can mean resilience and understanding the constant shifts of life.

There’s no substitute for experiencing ups and downs – seeing how it’s okay that things are overwhelming or broken sometimes and how companies recover from mistakes. Joe Lonsdale

Nothing in business runs smoothly forever. It would be strange if it were like that. When problems occur, we can learn from them, seeing them as information towards improvement.

I have seen too many men go down, and I never permit myself to forget that one day, through accident or under the charge of a younger, stronger knight, I too will go down. John Steinbeck, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights

Understand that the same principles that stand for others also stand for you. No matter any hierarchy or manufactured status, every one of us goes through life living our ups and downs in our environment.

Life has its ups and downs, but you can only look forward. Frank Lowy

Look what you have now on hand, and with that information, plan. The past has passed already and is presently deleted.

Life is not easy for anyone. You have to have ups and downs, You can make mistakes. You learn and try not to make them again. Nadia Comaneci

We evolve and learn each time we are aware of the causes of things. You can’t progress without practicing for progress. Progress involves training towards a goal making mistakes, and achieving wins.

Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient. Steve Maraboli 

We get more assertive in life when we understand how things connect. Understanding interdependence brings a revelation to many things, giving more peace, which is beyond plain hope.

Bonus Quote for life’s ups and downs:

Do or do not, there is no try. Master Yoda, Jedi, Star Wars

That quote about life is far more than a motivational phrase. If you think about it, you have no option. There is no point in “half” going for it when you set a goal. Being lukewarm on something produces the same type of results. Doing something without believing in it already carries the seeds of disappointment and the possibility of failure in action.

When you think of a plan and set your mind on an action, then do it and reap either success or failure. In both cases, you will learn and improve. Not doing it as it is to be done will produce some results, but since you didn’t put your “heart” in the doing, the conclusion will be lukewarm too and can leave you with even more doubts.

So, don’t “try your best.” Go for it. Plan well and go for it, with full throttle.

If these life quotes give value to you, you might consider reading the related articles below:

• 27 Simple Pleasures In Life Quotes That Will Put A Smile On Your Face
• 46 All Time Inspiring Travel Quotes
• Traveler’s Guide into Walking Meditation in Nature
• 105 Simple Pleasures In Life That Bring Joy And Fulfillment

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Home Essay Samples Life Challenges

Navigating Life's Roller Coaster: The Ups and Downs

Table of contents, triumphs and achievements, challenges and growth, appreciating the balance, finding resilience and hope.

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Facing Challenges: An Evidence-Based Guide to Navigating Life's Ups and Downs

(+ strategies to gain resilience and psychological flexibility).

I think the best way to describe life is as a series of ups and downs - an unpredictable journey of joys and challenges. Life’s variability is part of the human experience. Yet, our ability to navigate these highs and lows often dictates our overall well-being and satisfaction. Philosophers throughout history have alluded to this inevitable cycle of fortune and misfortune, while psychologists, through numerous studies, have affirmed the dynamism of life.

While the highs are easy to take, challenges can often take me by surprise and drain me. Not surprisingly, research shows that life events and experiences can significantly impact our psychological health, highlighting the importance of being able to cope effectively with change.

So, in this article, I share some psychological insights into dealing with and navigating life's ups and downs by fostering resilience and psychological flexibility.

The Vital Role of Resilience in Navigating Life's Ups and Downs

Resilience is our capacity to bounce back from difficulties, to adapt in the face of adversity. It's the 'bounce-back' factor that helps us recover from life's lows and harness the power of its highs.

But resilience embodies more than mere survival. It involves the ability to adapt in the face of challenges, maintain a degree of equilibrium amidst life's fluctuations, and harness adversity as a catalyst for growth and development. Without resilience, we could find ourselves swept away by the current of hardships, with our well-being and life satisfaction negatively impacted.

Numerous scientific studies have shed light on the pivotal role of resilience in our lives. A key finding from research conducted by Southwick, Bonanno, Masten, Panter-Brick, and Yehuda in 2014 is that resilience significantly contributes to positive mental health outcomes. Their research showed that resilient individuals are often able to cope more effectively in the face of traumatic events. They manage to sustain their mental health and maintain functional levels of physical well-being, despite the challenges thrown their way.

Something that is often overlooked is that, in the context of life's highs, resilience also plays a crucial role. It allows us to relish our successes and periods of tranquillity without complacency or fear that the good times will end. It provides the balance necessary to keep us grounded, even as we ride life's peaks.

5 Strategies to Build Resilience

Building resilience is a multifaceted process, requiring attention to various aspects of our lives. In addition to maintaining a positive outlook, cultivating social connections, and practising mindfulness, there are several other evidence-based strategies to build resilience:

1) Look After Your Physical Wellbeing

Ensuring a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep can bolster resilience. Physical wellbeing directly impacts mental strength. Regular physical activity, for instance, has been associated with improved mood and reduced stress (Mandolesi et al., 2018).

2) Practice Emotion Regulation

Learning to manage and understand your emotions contributes significantly to resilience. This includes strategies such as self-soothing when distressed, expressing emotions in a healthy manner, and using relaxation techniques (Troy & Mauss, 2011).

3) Seek Professional Help

Utilising mental health professionals, such as psychologists or counsellors, can equip individuals with coping mechanisms and therapeutic strategies to enhance resilience (Galatzer-Levy et al., 2018).

4) Continual Learning and Self-Development

The pursuit of personal growth and lifelong learning can strengthen resilience. This may involve learning new skills, pursuing a hobby, or engaging in activities that promote self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997).

5) Practise Gratitude

Keeping a gratitude journal or consciously acknowledging what you are thankful for can boost positivity and resilience (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).

The Role of Psychological Flexibility

Psychological flexibility is the ability to adapt to shifting situations, change strategies when they are not working, and continue towards one's goals. According to Kashdan and Rottenberg (2010), psychological flexibility is vital in managing life's changes as it allows us to adapt and grow in the face of challenges. Developing psychological flexibility often involves cognitive-behavioural techniques, like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), that encourage openness to all experiences, even uncomfortable ones, and promote action in line with personal values.

Cultivating Psychological Flexibility: 5 Key Strategies

Here are some of my favourite evidence-based strategies to cultivate psychological flexibility:

1) Mindful Awareness

Developing mindfulness skills can promote psychological flexibility by enhancing awareness of the present moment and increasing acceptance of thoughts and feelings (Hayes et al., 2006).

2) Value Clarification

Identifying and clarifying personal values can guide behaviour and decision-making, supporting psychological flexibility (Smout et al., 2014).

3) Cognitive Defusion

This involves learning to view thoughts as transient mental events rather than literal truths. Techniques might include labelling thoughts (e.g., "I'm having the thought that...") or visualising thoughts as leaves flowing down a stream (Hayes & Smith, 2005).

4) Acceptance

This is about embracing all experiences without judgement, even the uncomfortable ones. Acceptance allows us to face challenges more effectively instead of wasting energy on futile resistance (Hayes et al., 2006).

5) Committed Action

This strategy involves taking steps aligned with your values, even in the face of difficulties. It's about living in a way that reflects who you want to be and what matters most to you (Harris, 2013).

Remember, building both resilience and psychological flexibility is a process, not an overnight transformation. So, wherever you can, be patient with yourself.

There are two other important aspects about navigating life's ups and downs. They are practicing self-care as well as maintaining perspective.

The Role of Self-Care in Navigating Life's Ups and Downs

While resilience and psychological flexibility aid in adapting to life's fluctuations, self-care lays the foundation for overall well-being. Self-care involves actively taking steps to preserve or improve one's health, both physically and mentally.

In the face of life's ups and downs, maintaining a regular self-care routine can provide a sense of stability and control. Neff's (2011) study found that self-care behaviours are linked with greater life satisfaction and lower levels of stress. Ask yourself what you can do to be more self-compassionate and look after yourself.

How to Maintain Perspective During Life's Highs and Lows

Maintaining perspective is crucial when navigating through life's peaks and valleys. In periods of hardship, reminding ourselves that life's downs are temporary can provide comfort and strength.

Conversely, during life's ups, it's essential to savour the moment while remaining grounded, recognising that life is cyclic. Psychologists refer to this perspective-keeping as "cognitive reappraisal," a strategy that Gross's (2002) research shows to be effective in managing emotional responses to various situations.

The Best We Can Do is to Embrace the Journey

Navigating life's ups and downs involves understanding the inherent fluctuating nature of life, cultivating resilience, developing psychological flexibility, practising self-care, and maintaining perspective. Above all, embracing life as a journey rather than a destination allows us to find meaning and growth in all of life's phases, creating an enriching human experience.

I hope you enjoyed this read and the strategies to cultivate more resilience and psychological flexibility to get through this rollercoaster called life.

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• Poems That Capture the Rollercoaster of Life: Ups and Downs

Life is a journey filled with twists and turns, joy and sorrow, victories and defeats. Throughout our existence, we navigate through various phases, experiencing both ups and downs. Poets, with their profound ability to capture emotions, have penned verses that beautifully encapsulate the rollercoaster of life. In this article, we explore a selection of poems that reflect the highs and lows we encounter on this unpredictable voyage.

1. "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou's powerful poem, "Still I Rise," is a testament to resilience in the face of adversity. It serves as a reminder that no matter how many times life knocks you down, you have the strength to rise above it. Angelou's words empower and inspire, reminding us to embrace our inner strength and never surrender to defeat.

"You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise."

2. "If" by Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling's timeless poem, "If," offers sage advice on navigating life's ups and downs with grace and composure. It emphasizes the importance of perseverance, self-belief, and maintaining a balanced perspective in the face of triumph or disaster. Kipling's words serve as a guiding light, reminding us to stay true to ourselves and remain steadfast during life's challenges.

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools."

3. "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

In "The Road Not Taken," Robert Frost contemplates the choices we make in life and the impact they have on our journey. Frost's poem encourages us to embrace the unknown and take the path less traveled , even if it presents challenges and uncertainties. It serves as a reminder that life's ups and downs often arise from the choices we make, and that embracing the unfamiliar can lead to extraordinary experiences.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

4. "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley

William Ernest Henley's inspirational poem, "Invictus," explores the indomitable spirit of the human soul in the face of adversity. It celebrates the power of the human will to overcome life's challenges, encouraging determination and resilience when faced with trials. This poem serves as a reminder that no matter the circumstances, we have the strength within us to triumph over life's ups and downs.

"It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

Life's journey encompasses numerous ups and downs, and poetry provides a medium to capture the essence of these contrasting moments. Through the works of poets like Maya Angelou, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Frost, and William Ernest Henley, we find solace, inspiration, and guidance in navigating the unpredictable nature of existence. Their words remind us of our resilience, the importance of inner strength, and the choices we make that shape our path. So, as we continue our voyage through life, may these poems serve as beacons of hope to guide us through both the ups and downs that lie ahead.

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10 Clever Ways to Deal with the Ups and Downs of Life

“Ups and downs are part of life, part of our humanity. They teach us to stay grounded – centered within our Sacred Self, and centered within our Being. And they remind us that the peace we so desperately seek Out there, is already Within ourselves. ” ~ Luminita D. Saviuc

The Ups and Downs of Life

We go through life experiencing many pains, struggles, and trials. And even though some of them feel way bigger and more powerful than us, in truth, they aren’t!

There is nothing in this world more powerful than you yourself are. And it is my hope that the words I will share with you today and the meaning behind them will help you, not only to deal with the ups and downs of life but also to see yourself as you truly are: Powerful, Courageous, Unlimited, and Divine.

1. Seek not to know the reason for your unhappiness.

But rather, seek to develop the necessary skills and the right attitude that will help you navigate through the ups and downs of life with peace and serenity. Seek to find the way to your Center – that sacred place within yourself that is always at peace. For in doing so, nothing and no one will ever be able to disturb your inner peace or steal your joy.

2. Be kind to you.

Allow yourself to go through whatever you are going through without shame , guilt, and regrets. 

You are only human. 

To be human is to fall down and make mistakes; to get hurt and even hurt others along the way. And even though you might feel tempted to judge and condemn yourself for not being the perfect being you think you should be, it is better to treat yourself with gentleness, love, and compassion when dealing with the ups and downs of life.

3. Do not be fooled by your fears.

Fear is a liar. It cheats, it deceives, and it tricks us into believing we are all alone , lost, and unworthy of the life we deep down inside know we deserve to live. Fear wants us to live in pain, poverty, and unhappiness. And it will do whatever it takes to bring us down to its level. 

Do not take your fears seriously. See them for what they truly are – games and illusions, and turn your back on them.  Trust only Love. 

4. Blame it on no one.

Blame is a thief. It robs you of your power and gives it all away – turning the world into your master, and you into a slave. 

To blame another is to see yourself as helpless, and those you have been blaming as mighty powerful. But you are not a helpless victim , and the world is not your mighty powerful abuser.

Reclaim your dignity. Give up on blame. And take back your power. 

5. Let healing take place.

The ups and downs of life bring us face to face with the parts of us that are in pain; the parts of us that are wounded and in such great need of love and affection. 

When pain comes knocking on your door, it’s not to punish you. But to invite you to make room for  healing  to take place. It comes to show you the way out of  pain and into joy , out of  fear and into love , and out of  darkness into light.

6. Make peace with your past.

The life you are now living – with its many ups and downs, is the result of all your past thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. If there is suffering in the present, the past has not been forgiven. 

If you want to heal your present, make peace with your past. If you want to create a better future, forgive yourself and forgive the past.  This is how you deal with the ups and downs of life.

7. Allow your Inner Being to guide you.

Humble yourself before your Inner Being and allow that sacred part of you that is always at peace to help you navigate through the ups and downs of life with grace and serenity. Surrender yourself to your Sacred Self – in love, faith, and humility, and allow the Truth of you to bring you out of the darkness and back into the light.

8. Walk by faith, not by sight.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath , and look deep within your heart to SEE the wonderful being you aspire to become and the beautiful life you dream of living. 

See that person. Experience that life. Become one with it – in mind, body, and spirit. And no matter what your senses might tell you, surrender yourself completely to that wonderful life.

“To truly change is to think greater than your environment. To think greater than the circumstances in your life, to think greater than the conditions in the world… As long as you are thinking equal to your environment, you keep creating the same life… When one holds a dream independent of the environment, that’s greatness.” ~ Joe Dispenza

Follow the advice of Saint Paul and learn to walk by faith , not by sight – faith in the incredible person you wish to become, and faith in the wonderful life you will create for yourself… And in due time, your faith will become your fortune.  

9. This too shall pass.

No matter what you are currently experiencing and no matter how painful and unbearable it may seem, I want you to know that it will eventually come to pass – all things do – no matter if good or bad. And if you “have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear. “…

If you “ Can you remain unmoving Till the right action arises by itself,” as it is so beautifully written in the Tao Te Ching , you will soon realize that nothing in this life happens To you, it happens For you. None of it was meant to hurt you, but only to cleanse you, to heal you, and to awaken you to your true Beauty, Wisdom , Courage , and Divine Power.  

10. Seek the guidance of the brave ones.

At one point in time, there has been someone who went through something similar to what you are now going thorough; an incredible being who managed to move past their insecurities, their fears and many ups and downs in a way that made them feel stronger, braver, and wiser.

Seek the guidance of that person – through books, art, science, movies, paintings, music, etc., and allow their story to inspire you to look within for your inner hero – that brave and courageous being who will help you come out of your battles, victorious against the ups and downs of life.

And these are 10 ways to deal with the ups and downs of life. I hope they will inspire you to stand strong in your Truth and Power so that you can meet with courage and confidence whatever life sends your way, knowing that none of it happens To you, it all happens For you.

~love, Luminita  💫

Luminita D. Saviuc

Luminita is the Founder and Editor in Chief of PurposeFairy.com and also the author of 15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy: An Inspiring Guide to Discovering Effortless Joy . For more details check out the 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy Book Page.

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Life Has Its Ups and Downs … Enjoy the Roller-coaster Ride

Home » Blog » Liberate the Mind » Personal Development » Life Has Its Ups and Downs … Enjoy the Roller-coaster Ride

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Life can feel like a roller coaster ride, and I want you to climb into the front seat, throw your arms in the air, and enjoy the ride! There’s no getting away from the fact that life is full of ups and downs, as well as twists and turns…but success depends on how you choose to approach the ride.

One day we can be sitting on top of the world and the next day we can be hit with a major problem that we do not know how to deal with. You feel that you are swaying unsteadily on a tightrope between one extreme and another, the good moments and the bad. Dealing with life’s ups and downs is like being on one big ride on the roller coaster… it can make you dizzy, can’t it?

How you handle your ups and downs is up to you.

I see life as being filled with many exciting twists and turns. I have to be brave enough to take risks, face my fears and be hungry to find success in my life. I hope you choose to do the same.

“Life is like a roller coaster. It’s one wild ride, but worth every second!” Unknown

Recently I took my daughter to Alton Towers. She loves roller coaster rides. The bigger and faster the ride the greater her adrenaline rush. She would stand in line for 40 minutes or longer just to get on a ride that lasts 30 seconds. The excitement and anticipation kept her going and the time just flew by. I remember her screams of excitement and the look of fear on her face right at the start of the ride.  As the roller coaster set off  her palms were sweating, her heart beat pumping so loud as her cart slowly climbed uphill,  the thought of the approaching downhill scared her intensely. Then the ride really got going. As the roller coaster speeds up, it drastically falls down; it curves and turns upside down. On this roller coaster there were many ups and downs, the ride pushing upwards to reach a pinnacle only to be plummeted down a hill at breakneck speed, without much time to breathe in between. The roller coaster scares her, but she doesn’t let her fears over power her.

If only more of you could approach life in the same way.  Just like the Roller Coaster Ride, before we reach the ecstasy of the success we are targeting for in life, we are faced with fears, unnerving feeling and doubt of the risk we are taking with us in the ride. When we let ourselves submit to our fears, we are letting fears take away our potential success.  If we want to achieve success, we have to face our fears.  Unless we do, we’ll be forever locked into our own failures.

There isn’t a challenge that we cannot overcome. Even though challenges may appear impossible to conquer at times, believe that it is possible and know you can find a solution. That’s what living is all about – we are consistently being presented with situations that challenge us, make us grow, teach us, and make us better people. Without challenges, life would be pretty boring.

When you feel overwhelmed by apparently unmanageable circumstances, remind yourself that, you can only see a small glimpse of the big picture of your life. You don’t know what’s around the corner, and you certainly don’t know how things are going to map out. Success in life comes to those that face their difficult circumstances head on and refuse to give up. No matter how many times you fail, resolve to get up and continue to follow your dreams. Just stay on the rollercoaster ride. There will be times the ride knocks you off your feet and leaves you reeling, but you must always continue on your path.

“Life is like a roller coaster, live it, be happy, enjoy life”. Avril Lavigne

So lets’ accept that life is like a roller coaster ride.  You start moving forward; a little bit hesitant and shaky as you set off on the journey. Next, you start climbing up, then drop down, up again, then down. In fact there are a lot more ups and downs on this ride. There are some wild corners and you even get turned completely upside down a few times. Some parts of the ride will be frightening. Other parts of the ride are exciting and exhilarating. You begin to wonder whether you’ll ever reach the top. Soon you start to think, “Oh God, when will this end?!” I can’t take much more!

So we now know life is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and down sharp turns and unexpected moments. Things will not always work as planned, they don’t always go our way.  There’s always a different thrill, scary but with so much promise and so rewarding. We have to be patient and persistent, stay on the ride, and just enjoy it, until you reach your destination. No matter how difficult this ride is, no matter how fast the ride, no matter how many loops, the roller coaster ride has the glorious end. Just like your life if you keep pursuing your goals.

“Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, and be weird. Go out and screw up! You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.” Anthony Robbins

Hang on tight and enjoy the ride!

Please share your ideas for making the most of all the twists and turns of life. Comment below.

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10 Comments

Really excellent post.. My wife and I have tried to enjoy life each day, traveling a big part of it. We laugh each day and enjoy whatever time we have here and together. Laughter is a great tool that more people should use!!!! I’ll stumble this!!

http://jpweddingphotograpy.blogspot.com/2011/09/faces-of-ground-zero.html

Jim following your blog, i do think that you have build a wonderful relationship and together you are living the way we should. I love seeing your pictures, and im sure that the man you are shows through gloriously through those beautiful images you create

I love it! then feel sick

Alejandro, just wait she’s going to have you on some awesome roller coasters over the years, don’t forget to take a paper bag.

This is a fantastic and inspiring post! It’s so important to remember to live like this, to take life as it comes and make the best of it and know that while we will have some crushing disappointments and soaring joys, there is also great beauty in a serene everyday existence as well. Thank you for this!

Colleen we can’t live in the fast lane all the time. Equally we can’t just experience victory after victory on our journey. The challenges and defeats we meet are just as important for our personal growth. We just, as you say, have to make the best of our time here, and as i say often, enjoy the journey.

Roller coaster rides have frightened me most of my life, but I faced that fear a few years back on a roller coaster ride with my own daughter, Alisha. I had one failure though, I just couldn’t make my eyes stay open to see the ride rushing by. I tried, but they acted like they had been glued shut. Oh well, I did ride it. 🙂

Lily, let me share a secret, every time i ride a rollercoaster with my girls, my eyes are firmly shut, and discretely my hands are holding on to the seat for dear life. I won’t tell if you don’t tell

sometimes especially when you are at the top of that roller coaster about to drop down and the chaos is big, you can not see the picture that can be ..all you see is that you are falling and there is no hope..it’s just over..would be nice to be able to have a moment of rest when the fog would lift and you could see light and calmness at the other end….As always….XOXOXOXO

Bongo, when you take the time to look, you get the opportunity to see.

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Battling life's ups and downs

Why is the cliché 'life has its ups and downs' so difficult to apply when we find ourselves in a down moment?

If you find it a struggle to reverse a down day, remember we have the cliché because 'ups' exist as well.

A negative reaction to a down mood is normal. We're human, it's what we do. But, gaining control of our thoughts before we spiral further downward is key to recovery. When and how we take control determines how much energy and 'will' is required to pull ourselves back up.

Ups and downs

I often experience ups and downs. It's who I am and how my emotions play out. And when it comes to downs, I can spend a little too long moping by myself, choosing to stay in the moment. I over-think, over-analyse, second guess and berate myself. This diminishes what I'm capable of and reduces my ability to pull myself up.

I've also learned that the life I see others leading is theirs and not mine. To compare myself and my capabilities to others is a trap. They all have their ups and downs, I just don't see them.

My tendency to be negative is a personality trait I dislike, but it's part of me. So I've accepted it and learned and created ways to turn it around. This improvement feels a little faster each time.

Back in my retail management days I would always say 'A complaint is an opportunity to improve service and increase sales at the same time'. Your personal down moments have that potential too. You can improve your situation and create something better. You can use your down moments to find your positives.

When it comes to ups and downs, there's no instruction manual for climbing out of a down mood. But I've found five ways to accelerate the process. Ways to reverse these downs and create new and improved ups.

Stop the negative thought process. Immediately change the internal conversation and focus on what there is to learn. Educate yourself, look around you. Where are the lessons and what positives are within them?

A down suggests something hasn't gone according to plan. Grab your plan and re-assess. What are the priorities here? What has this change of events opened up? What must be reconsidered?

We've learnt something and moved our priorities. Time to adapt our plan to suit the new environment and what's important to us. The greater our flexibility, the better we'll bounce back.

Our end game hasn't changed. This current down could be considered a hurdle on the way to achieving it. Be kind with your thoughts and try not to let a negative mindset prevent you from focussing on the bigger picture.

Do it now. Show your mood what a reenergised mindset is capable of. The moment you achieve one thing on your list is the moment you begin climbing back up. Allow that snowball of positivity to roll and boost your mindset.

Embrace the downs

And finally, a big one for me is to make sure I'm not heaping pressure on myself. Are my expectations reasonable? Am I expecting too much from myself in too small a timeframe?

It doesn't matter if it's your business, your personal goals, or your hopes and dreams. When you find yourself in a down moment, I recommend one thing. Remind yourself it's an opportunity. And perhaps a big one.

The cliché is correct, ups and downs will always be part of our lives. It's not a contest and for the sake of our mindset it's better not to make it one. A little realism goes a long way.

When that down mood arrives it's OK to go with it. Try to be mindful and arrest the slide. Regain control of your thought process and take some time to learn more about where you are. Do this and your mood will start heading back up. It may be even faster than you think.

Simon is a SANE Peer Ambassador, IT professional and life coach. This article originally appeared on theshiftinitiator.com.au .

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Observation

Life’s ups and downs may stick.

In recent years, psychologists have been fond of stating that human happiness, what they call subjective well-being, is largely independent of our life circumstances. The wealthy aren’t much happier than the middle class, married people aren’t much happier than single people, healthy people aren’t much happier than sick people, and so on. It is an important message (particularly because it is so counterintuitive), and it is one supported by mounting quantities of evidence from all over the world.

One might reasonably conclude, therefore, that changes in life circumstances would not have long-term effects on our happiness. This indeed has been the dominant model of subjective well-being: People adapt to major life events, both positive and negative, and our happiness pretty much stays constant through our lives, even if it is occasionally perturbed. Winning the lottery won’t make you happier in the long run (goes the theory), and while a divorce or even a major illness will throw your life into upheaval for a while, your happiness level will eventually return to where it was at before — that is, its set point.

But new research, and reexamination of old research, is challenging some of the claims of set-point theory.

In the article “Adaptation and the Set-Point Model of Subjective Well-Being” in the April issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science , Richard E. Lucas (Michigan State University and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin) reviews some recent studies suggesting that adaptation to changing life circumstances only goes so far. “Happiness levels do change, adaptation is not inevitable, and life events do matter,” Lucas asserts.

To study adaptation, Lucas and his colleagues used data from two large national prospective panel studies — one in Germany and the other in Great Britain. Unlike most previous studies of adaptation, these data were able to capture levels of life satisfaction both prior to and after major life events like marriage, divorce, unemployment, and illness or disability.

Lucas found that not all of life’s slings and arrows are created equal. On average, most people adapt quickly to marriage, for example — within just a couple of years, the peak in subjective well-being experienced around the time of getting married returns to its previous levels. People mostly adapt to the sorrows of losing a spouse too, but this takes longer — about 7 years. People who get divorced, however, do not, on average, return to the level of happiness they were at previously. The same is true of people who become unemployed: They do not fully bounce back, even after getting a new job.

Lucas also found that illness and injury have a strong negative effect on life satisfaction. That may not seem surprising, but it actually challenges a famous 1978 study that served as a pillar of set-point theory. That study, which examined the happiness levels of lottery winners and spinal-cord injury patients, found that lottery winners were not significantly happier than a control group and that spinal-cord injury patients were above neutral on the happiness scale. What got overlooked was that those with spinal-cord injuries were still significantly less happy than people in the control group (or lottery winners). Numerous more recent studies have confirmed that major illnesses and injury result in significant, lasting decreases in subjective well-being.

But Lucas also found that individual differences play an important role. There’s a lot of individual variation in the degree to which people adapt to what life throws at them. What’s more, individuals destined to experience certain life events actually differ in their subjective well-being from those not so fated — even well before the occurrence of those events. People who eventually marry and stay married, for example, tend to be happier even five years before their marriage than those who are destined to marry and get divorced.

Lucas stresses that his findings do not undercut the importance of adaptation processes. Some degree of adaptation necessarily protects us from prolonged emotional states that may be harmful and helps us attune to novel threats to our well-being rather than dwell on ones we are familiar with. Adaptation also helps us detach from goals that have proven unrealistic.

To find out more about adaptation and its limits, see “Adaptation and the Set-Point Model of Subjective Well-Being,” in the April 2007 issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science .

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Lessons on life's ups and downs

By Steve Tobak

July 27, 2012 / 11:38 AM EDT / MoneyWatch

(MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY We all have good days and bad days. Sometimes we even have them on the same day, which can be particularly annoying if the bad part comes last.

The other day, a stock I owned was up over 10 percent on good news and down even more on bad news the following day. I'd just as soon have none of that roller-coaster stuff happen, but that's not how things work. Life has its ups and downs, just like stocks do.

That said, there are a number of factors that increase the frequency of those ups and downs. Some are personal while others are work-related. More important, some factors are external while others are more or less self-imposed, meaning you can moderate them if you choose.

Short-term thinking is shortsighted 9 ways to manage a bad mood 5 timeless leadership lessons

Here are some observations on what makes your life like a roller-coaster and what, if anything, you can do about it:

- I bet you hate to be micromanaged. I know; everybody does. Well, get this. When you constantly react to things like your email, blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page, or other high-frequency distractions from the real work at hand, that's effectively the same as micromanaging yourself. Instead of reacting to a dysfunctional boss who scrutinizes your every move, you're reacting to dozens, maybe hundreds of people who do the same.

I've definitely noticed a trend along those lines these past five years or so. Odd, that's about the time I started blogging and getting involved in social media. Coincidence? I don't think so.

- Miles Davis, one of my all-time favorite jazz musicians, said, "When you hit a wrong note, it's the next note that makes it good or bad." I've used that quote in lots of ways over the years. In this context it's like saying, "Bad things happen, but how you respond makes it worse or better."

- Sometimes, it's hard to tell the difference between good and bad news. These days, folks somehow manage to spin the same news one way or the other, depending on their perspective. So the same event affects different people differently. That's obviously the case in politics, but that's too easy. I prefer more interesting examples, like the next one from the telecom world.

Yesterday, shares of Sprint jumped 20 percent because quarterly revenue increased, iPhone sales were better than expected, and the company's shutdown of Nextel and deployment of a next-generation network is on track. But that network upgrade is way behind competitor's AT&T and Verizon, Sprint continues to lose subscribers, the iPhone deal probably won't generate a profit until 2015, and Sprint's quarterly loss widened to $1.37 billion. That pushes the telecom's cumulative loss since Dan Hesse took over as CEO four-and-a half-years ago to over $13 billion. He seems to think the company's turnaround is on track and others agree, but I'm not one of them. Even with today's bump, the stock is down 25 percent over the past year and 75 percent since Hesse was hired.

- Conventional wisdom says age dampens those crazy ups and downs. You know how when you're young, every little thing seems like a national crisis. Like when your face breaks out, you lose a basketball game, or your girlfriend kisses another guy. When you get older, you become more confident and comfortable in your own skin and those bumps in the road begin to level off. Then you get even older and your body starts to fall apart. So much for conventional wisdom.

- One of the saddest and most ironic things about life is that, once you figure out what you really like to do or are really good at, you're either too old to do it or you can't do it all the time because it's just not feasible or healthy. For me, that turned out to be sort of a mixed bag. It's great that I discovered this love for writing before my brain turned to mush. On the other hand, I also like to have a little too much fun, if you know what I mean. They say everything in moderation, but I've never quite been able to pull that off. How about you?

- That brings us to the last thing I've discovered about the ups and downs of life. Without one, you really can't perceive the other. Everything is relative. It's a yin and yang thing. As it says in the Tao Te Ching , all behaviors contain their opposites. That's a paraphrase, by the way.

Look at it this way. Life and death, good and bad, ups and downs, they go hand in hand. Just try to keep the self-inflicted bad stuff to a minimum, if you can. Life will send plenty of it your way all by itself.

Image courtesy of Flickr user PaulSteinJC

View all articles by Steve Tobak on CBS MoneyWatch » Steve Tobak is a consultant and former high-tech senior executive. He's managing partner of Invisor Consulting , a management consulting and business strategy firm. Contact Steve or follow him on Facebook , Twitter or LinkedIn .

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Lifes ups and Downs

Lifes up and Downs Life is very unique it’s very valuable to each human being on earth today. There are good things and bad things that happen in life. Things happen in life for a reason god makes everything happen just because. Some of the things that makes up life or society are good and then some of them are bad. The good things that happen are; friends, sports, and success and the bad things are; gangs, drugs, and racism. Those are some of the things that make up are life and or society.Well for me certain things make life great for me. Basketball which a very great sport by the way helps me get away from certain things that happen in life. The thing is basketball keeps me away from all the trouble like gang banging and drug dealing. Those two things are not the life to live they aren’t safe its just fast money fast money isn’t always good money. You don’t need those things in your life so stick to as many activities as possible to keep you away from those things and sports and doing other things to keep your self busy will set you up for a good life. In society a lot of gang try and take away from the gifted athletes that are in the area they try and convince them that its not good doing whatever there doing and there working for the white man. They try and make it seem like gangs are an actual family when there really not because if they were they wouldn’t leave you when your in trouble like behind bars or just period they would turn on you act like you don’t exist, but then you would call upon the people that been there your hole life which is your real family. So gangs are a no no that’s why I turn to basketball or an after school class to keep my self out of harms way. Friends are very important to have in your life. You just shouldn’t want to be all alone in life. By you having friends is very great thing for one you guys can go and hang out together like go out to dinner or goto the beach and etc, but its always good to have a variety of friends not just one race friends because anyone or I should say any of your friends can do things to help you and they can also be trade you. So when you get your group of friend chose them risely and when you only have one group of friends that are the same color people might begin to think your racist even though you may not be , but people might assume so its good to have more then one colored friend. Friends are put here to keep you happy so you guys can enjoy life together not down talk or compete with one another so friends to me are everything specially the ones who are closer to you. Some bad things about friends are they can be hater jealous of what another friend has but for example I treat my friends how they treat me so with that being sai my things are also my friends things just don’t abuse things that are mine. No matter what you go through in life you strive to be the best and you become successful. Being successful takes a while but it gets your life were you want it to be you wouldn’t have to worry about certain things because your success would pay off. All the long hours of school from high school to college it will pay off. Education plays a big role in success today without a college let alone high school education you wont be able 2 proceed in life. Focusing on your books and knowing what you will b pursuing in life is key to being successful this way by the time your out of high school you can already know what is up coming. You will make a lot of money being successful and we all know everyone loves money. You can be a professional athlete, be a doctor, artist, or etc. All these things take time, but when you put the effort look at how good things become for you. Your able to stay out of trouble do things big for your family this will make you feel great. This would change your life forever. In conclusion living life to the fullest is great. Having a wonderful friends and big dreams of being successful are fantastic. Staying away from the gangs, drugs, and racism are great qualities ti having a great life. Life is very precious and you only live once so do it smart live it up while you can don’t let any one come in your way just hold your head high and just think positive and not negative things and that will lead you to a life of your dream.

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This was Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open

PINEHURST, N.C. — The hardest shot in golf stood between Bryson DeChambeau and his second major championship.

The ball was perched on Pinehurst’s pillowy sand. It was 55 yards out — the distance pro golfers almost universally disdain — after advancing his approach shot from behind a tree root. The hole location was tucked just six paces off the green’s back-right edge, bordering another bunker. The groans that ensued after Rory McIlroy missed his par putt at the last hole still hung in the air around the 18th grandstand.

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DeChambeau set up to his ball with a 55-degree wedge. Make bogey and move into a playoff. Get up and down and walk away as a two-time U.S. Open champion.

With 100 chances, DeChambeau said he would have gotten up and down from that spot four or maybe five times. But his caddie, Greg Bodine, assured him: “You’ve got this shot,” he said to DeChambeau before he descended into the bunker. “I’ve seen way harder shots pulled off from you.” And with one swing on Sunday, DeChambeau embraced Bodine’s words and executed the improbable.

“That bunker shot was the shot of my life,” DeChambeau said.

The ball skipped along the putting surface, taking several hops before rolling end over end to 3 feet, 11 inches. Was there even a question of what would happen next? DeChambeau drained the putt.

Call him golf’s mad scientist, a PGA Tour star who defected to LIV Golf, a content creator with a generation of youngsters following his every move on YouTube and TikTok. Whatever Bryson DeChambeau is or once was, the moment that came next allowed him to simply be.

DeChambeau launched both arms into the air, ripped off his Crushers GC cap, and turned to the congregation of photographers lining the left side of the 18th green. He stared into the TV cameras, pointing to the pin he wore on his hat to honor an idol, the late Payne Stewart who won here 25 years ago.

He screamed, emptying his lungs until his face turned red. This was his moment.

DeChambeau started Sunday on the driving range like usual: launching balls into the stratosphere with his team of confidantes nearby.

Behind him were three backpacks overflowing with curious props like measuring sticks and levels. An iPhone captured video of his golf swing for real-time 3D-motion feedback powered by an artificial intelligence app, Sportsbox AI, which DeChambeau started using last week. His swing coach, Dana Dalquist, lingered. Bodine wiped the clubs clean as DeChambeau worked his way through the bag.

Then something puzzling happened. Sixteen minutes before DeChambeau teed off at the U.S. Open with a three-shot lead, he unscrewed his driver head and swapped it with a new one. The face of DeChambeau’s special Krank driver — an equipment brand used by long-drive competitors — had flattened. The numbers on his Foresight launch monitor indicated the issue, and his wayward ball flight further proved it. A protractor-like tool that DeChambeau lined up with the curved clubhead face gave the final verdict. DeChambeau didn’t necessarily foresee putting a new head in play for the final round of the U.S. Open he had only hit six times, but he was prepared for the possibility.

THE BUNKER SHOT OF HIS CAREER! @b_dechambeau has this putt left to win the U.S. Open! pic.twitter.com/Vleb6k6PvO — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 16, 2024

DeChambeau’s goal in this game is to predict. He is on a perpetual mission to eliminate the variables, no matter the scale of their effects. And most recently, DeChambeau has been on a quest to take the guesswork out of golf.

DeChambeau floats his golf balls in Epsom salt to determine the low point of their weight, so that he can optimize rolling his putts end over end. He put a set of 3D-printed irons into play starting at the Masters that mimic the design of his driver and minimize the effects of off-center strikes. He uses Sportsbox AI to detect unwanted motions in his golf swing, documenting hundreds of data points for future analysis. When DeChambeau practices he doesn’t hit balls to find an ambiguous “feel.” He utilizes AI motion capture to detect if he’s making movements that will produce the shot he wants to see. If he’s hitting those checkpoints, he’s satisfied. DeChambeau doesn’t want an opinion on what he can do to improve his game and win more golf tournaments. He follows a formula. He’s after the truth.

U.S. Open analysis: 10 things to know on Bryson DeChambeau's win

Augusta National doesn’t allow players to use slope-measuring devices. Dalquist said there is currently a conversation among DeChambeau’s team about building a 25-foot-long slope in his backyard to simulate putting at the Masters.

“It’s not just like it’s a science project, but we can’t make stuff up and hope,” Dalquist said. “He knows B.S. when he hears it.”

Much has been made of DeChambeau’s reliance on facts and science since he came out on tour with single-length irons — which he still plays. To some, DeChambeau’s whole schtick is a mad dash for some sort of edge in a game that should be kept simple. But to DeChambeau, it’s the only way that makes sense.

On Sunday at Pinehurst No. 2, though, it was never possible for DeChambeau to control every variable. He knew that, and the acceptance of such an idea is exactly what helped him execute rounds of 67, 69, and 67 to take a three-shot lead heading into the U.S. Open’s final round on Father’s Day.

DeChambeau, who won his first U.S. Open by overpowering Winged Foot with a bomb-and-gauge technique, plotted his way around the Donald Ross design in the North Carolina sandhills, taking conservative lines off the tee. Although he led the field in driving distance, his new head led him to some less-than-ideal situations in Pinehurst’s native areas. He only hit five fairways on Sunday, the fewest in a final round since Angel Cabrera in 2007, per The Athletic contributor Justin Ray. But aside from needing to chip out of the wire grass on No. 12, DeChambeau escaped by muscling his ball into favorable locations around the greens and leaning on his short game and his flat stick to scrape away pars.

Unforeseen predicaments define the test of this golf course, and on the 18th hole, DeChambeau faced perhaps the most extreme example of that, when yet another wayward drive found itself in jail. DeChambeau’s ball almost hit a group of tournament volunteers before it came to rest near a tree root, with branches limiting the length of his backswing. He wondered whether he’d hurt himself attempting to hit the shot, and he tried to seek relief from a temporary immovable obstruction nearby. No luck.

To win the championship and avoid entering a playoff with McIlroy, DeChambeau had to lean on something that can’t be quantified. Something that will never be distilled down to a science.

DeChambeau grew up throwing balls into impossible lies, training himself to harness his creativity and use a golf club to escape from anywhere.

“I go back to being a kid,” DeChambeau said.

Four years ago DeChambeau won his first major during a global pandemic, surrounded by a golf course devoid of fans or atmosphere. On Sunday? He sprinted off the 18th green with the U.S. Open trophy in hand, determined to give every fan in proximity a chance to touch the distinguished metal.

He hopped from interview to interview as the sun set on the championship, hugging and kissing his new piece of hardware, celebrating with a crew of friends and family who surprised him on Sunday evening. He took selfies and tried to throw his ball into the towering U.S. Open grandstands. His mother sat at home in California watching it all unfold — she skipped Winged Foot when her son hoisted the trophy. She wasn’t going to mess with fate. He dedicated the win on Father’s Day to his late father, Jon.

Rory McIlroy and the U.S. Open he will never escape — even though he tried

Most champions are quick to go somewhere private, to celebrate the achievement with those closest to them. Two and a half hours after winning the U.S. Open, DeChambeau was signing autographs for seemingly every kid who remained on the property.

DeChambeau hasn’t always been easy to support but the people of Pinehurst were behind him, the same way they had started to at Augusta and were at Valhalla. He’s had moments — several of them — where the golf community has largely been averse to his antics. DeChambeau credits the arc in his public perception with a close-knit inner circle and an ability to use outlets to express to the world what he says is his true character.

“I’ve realized there’s a lot more to life than golf,” DeChambeau said. “I’m not perfect. I’m human. Everyone’s human. Certainly, those low moments have helped establish a new mind frame of who I am, what’s expected, what I can do, and what I want to do in my life.”

(Top photo: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

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Gabby Herzig is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering golf. Before joining The Athletic, she worked as a breaking news writer for Sports Illustrated’s golf vertical and a contributing editor at Golf Digest. She is a graduate of Pomona College, where she captained the varsity women’s golf team.

Tyler Perry Talks About Being the Subject of the Documentary ‘Maxine’s Baby’ With Co-Directors, Says Inspiring Others Keeps Him Going

By Selena Kuznikov

Selena Kuznikov

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The first footage for “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story” was filmed over a decade ago by co-directors Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz, who have followed Perry throughout his career over the past 10 years. Ortiz said that had he known Bekele was planning on working on the project for that long, he might have been a bit more hesitant to join.

“But in all honesty, if we didn’t have that time, would you have been able to be as vulnerable as you were if we just did it in two years?” Ortiz asked Perry.

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“The first time I saw it, I had to step away from it for a minute to gather my emotions and my feelings because it was so well done, so incredibly thought out and laid out with such exact precision of storytelling,” Perry said.

Perry said he was initially resistant to participating in the film, even joking that he almost took the project away from Ortiz and Bekele and wanted to give it to somebody else.

Ortiz said the hardest part of making the documentary was keeping up with Perry and finding his rhythm over the decade.

“It was something that was just a destiny type of thing,” said Ortiz. “[Perry] always [says] other people’s dreams are tied to your destiny, so you have no choice but to work hard. So I think I felt that and saw that in Gelila, and thankfully I did because now we’re here.”

Bekele didn’t want to get in Perry’s way while filming, but also never wanted to miss a moment of his life: “I think that was also the beauty of it, the vérité of that following you, being annoying, 24 hours, was the beauty because we got to see, sort of, that in-between moments.”

Perry said he realized just how much he had done over the years after watching the documentary: “Honestly, because it was over so much time and in so many places, I wasn’t able to collectively see it in one place. So seeing it all in one place, I was like, ‘No wonder you’re tired. No wonder you want a vacation and a break.'”

As for the title of the film, Perry revealed that before his mom died in 2009, she told him she didn’t understand why everyone would call her “Tyler’s mom” instead of Maxine. He said using her name in the documentary spoke volumes: “I understand she had her own name, her own spot to stand, her own place on this planet and her own story.”

When Perry feels himself slowing down and not wanting to push as hard anymore, he finds motivation in the people he helps: “There’s this one guy who is a grip..and he just says, ‘Hey, thank you.’ He looks at me in my eyes and says, ‘Thank you.’ And he keeps me going every day. He don’t even know what that’s doing for me, because it is reminding me, ‘This is why you’re doing it.'”

Watch the full conversation above.

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The Culinary Melodrama “Clyde’s” Depicts the Ups and Downs of Life After Prison

Andrea vernae’s trendy period costumes as the titular clyde are as sickening as the stomach-turning rage she unleashes to bully her onstage staff..

Two quick notes about the Portland Center Stage comedy Clyde’s : It’s not about the steakhouse on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, and Andrea Vernae is a genius as the titular owner of a dingy truckstop diner.

Vernae is Clyde, a worthy villain who would rather be feared than loved, who squashes her ex-con employees under her thumb as a foil to their budding optimism. Her fashions, from the 2004 It Girl denim ensemble to a devilish red pleather dominatrix look, are as sickening as the rage she releases to bully her employees into submission.

Clyde was broken a long time ago by the penal system, or a lifetime of domestic violence. Her backstory isn’t fully explored, but it holds enough in common with millions of Americans with criminal records. The rest of the cast is Clyde’s staff, sympathetic former prisoners trying to rebuild their lives, like single mom Letitia (Lauren “Lo” Steele), recovering addict Rafael (Pascal Arquimedes), and newcomer Jason (Orion Bradshaw), whose face is mangled by racist prison tattoos. De facto leader of the restaurant is cook Montrellous (Setareki Wainiqolo) who keeps the peace by inspiring his co-workers to dream up their perfect sandwich with any range of artisan ingredients.

A co-production with Syracuse Stage, Clyde’s was written by playwright Lynn Nottage, whose writing has won her two Pulitzer Prizes. Clyde’s begins in the late 2000s, indicated with sound snippets from former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and mixtape-era Nicki Minaj. It carries into the early foodie era of the 2010s, as fresh artisan ingredients became more popular, without referencing Instagram photos of food.

Clyde’s serves balanced scoops of hopeful optimism and harsh realism about life on the outside. Prison can break people in ways we don’t prepare ourselves to handle, whether that looks like balancing child care and health care with parole requirements; a lingering resentment of authority; or the anxiety of freedom after time served in a restricted environment. Letitia recognizes how deeply broken Clyde is as she torments the staff, reminding her co-workers that Clyde’s behavior would barely be remarkable if she were a man.

Clyde’s is a workplace ensemble comedy about a dysfunctional last-resort job. Montrellous’ soothing tenor voice carries him as the kitchen leader with a mysterious past. Rafael and Letitia’s budding romance is cute with believable chemistry, and Jason manages to make the audience feel sympathy for a white guy with little-man rage as he’s hazed by his co-workers of color for his racist face tattoos.

Two mysteries get solved during Clyde’s runtime: why Montrellous went to prison and why Clyde is so hellbent on curbing her staff’s ambitions. A third, lesser mystery around a 15-pound bag of rancid fish turns out to be more of a red herring than Chekhov’s Chilean sea bass. But as the play takes a metaphoric turn during the final act, Vernae’s Clyde reminds us that not all cages have iron bars.

Clyde has stayed hard and kept it real her whole life. Food is nothing to her but a means to an end. It doesn’t hold the magic power of community building that Montrellous wants her to taste. Clyde finds out what happens when keeping it real goes wrong, but it’s no poetic justice. She reminds us that even when we want people to see the light, they can’t or won’t, and not even love is strong enough to save them.

How does Vernae get the audience to root for Clyde, to stand and applaud her the loudest even after terrorizing the rest of the cast? That’s just her special sauce.

SEE IT: Clyde’ s plays at Portland Center Stage, 128 NW 11th Ave., 503-445-3700, pcs.org . 7:30 pm Wednesday–Sunday, 2 pm Saturday, Sunday and select Thursdays, through June 30. $25–$86.

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